As the rainy season sweeps across Rwanda, street children are among those hit hardest, lacking proper shelter to shield them from the harsh weather.

Some of these children, found by ICK News in Muhanga town, shared their challenges, particularly during the nights when the rain pours.

One of the children, D’Amour Igisubizo, explained the difficulty of finding a dry place to sleep, often resorting to a drainage ditch.

He said, “When it rains at night, I have no choice but to seek shelter under a building’s porch. However, security guards sometimes chase me away, accusing me of being a thief.”

Igisubizo’s companions echoed similar struggles. They described how, when it rains, they use sacks and cardboard to cover themselves, lying on near waterways to avoid being soaked. They added, “We would rather face the rain than be swept away by floodwaters, and we carry on with life despite these challenges.”

These children also noted that security guards at some buildings are often unkind, sometimes demanding money in exchange for allowing them to stay sheltered from the rain.

“When we don’t have money, we’re left with no option but to stay outside and get drenched,” they lamented.

Some of these street children, such as Niyonkuru Mucyo Faustin, Kirezi Jules, and Rukundo Enock, who live in Shyogwe Sector, decided to join forces and build a small shack in rural areas using wooden poles, tarpaulins, and banana leaves to protect themselves from the rain. “We built a shelter so that we don’t get soaked when it rains,” they said.

Besides the challenges posed by the rain, these children also face other hardships, including hunger, frequent beatings from fellow street dwellers and security personnel, and even imprisonment.

Why Are They on the Streets?

In the past, street children were mainly orphans, particularly in the aftermath of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and insecurity period. However, the situation has changed. Most street children today have parents, but they end up on the streets due to family conflicts and other issues such as extreme poverty.

Family disputes and hunger are the primary reasons these children leave their homes and seek refuge on the streets.

Rukundo Enock shared his personal story, recounting how his grandmother kicked him out, falsely accusing him of theft after his mother left him in her care to work in Kigali. “My grandmother accused me of stealing money and a phone. Though these were later found, she still told me to leave, threatening to kill me. So I fled.”

Although some claim that street children enjoy the money they receive from passersby, making them unwilling to leave the streets, the children deny this. They insist that they dislike the life they lead and wish for help from the government to provide a place to live.

Kirezi Jules expressed his desire for a better life: “If I had a place to stay and could go back to school, I wouldn’t return to the streets.”

Igisubizo D’Amour echoed this sentiment, hoping his parents could reconcile, and that his father would stop drinking and abusing him. “If my parents got back together, and my father quit drinking and hitting us, I’d go home and return to school.”

Local Government’s Response

Mugabo Gilbert, the Vice Mayor of Muhanga District in charge of Social Affairs in Muhanga, stated that the district is working closely with various organizations responsible for child welfare and security agencies to find a lasting solution for these children. “We collaborate with all stakeholders to find solutions, including engaging with the children’s parents to understand why they left home and how to reintegrate them.”

He emphasized the responsibility of parents, urging them to take care of their children, adding, “There should be no child living on the streets. Family conflicts should not result in neglecting children. Parents may argue, but they should not let those disagreements affect their responsibility to raise their children.”

The issue of street children has persisted in Rwanda for many years, despite government efforts and programs aimed at addressing it. The problem remains visible, particularly in urban areas.

Family disputes, parents neglecting their responsibilities, and other societal challenges are among the root causes that need to be addressed through long-term solutions involving various stakeholders, including the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion, the National Child Development Agency (NCDA), and the general public.